Flat-Towing a '10 JSW TDi 6M??

Looking for related experience or direction around this topic. There is quite a bit of conflicting information online, and Remco Towing doesn't offer much either.
We're embarking on a 1 year adventure later this year in our RV and want to drag along our favorite family car, our 2010 JSW TDi 6M. I want to be able to tow the VW with all 4 wheels on the ground behind the motorhome, but can't seem to find info on whether it is acceptable or not. Base plates and tow bars are made for it, but can't find much other info. Many vehicles you can leave in neutral, unlock the steering column, and are good to go, but it's a bit of a mystery with this one. Would ask my VW dealer, but we don't have the best relationship after a service fiasco and safety issue they caused.
Any experiences, or where to look? Thanks all!

No experience of flat towing but the VW manual only refers to restrictions on speed & distance for towing on cars equipped with DSG or automatic boxes.
I would have thought VW would say something in the manual if they were not keen on cars with manual boxes being towed for any reason...

acrossthepond said:

I would have thought VW would say something in the manual if they were not keen on cars with manual boxes being towed for any reason...

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Me too... As crazy as it is, I just can't find any info related to it, or anyone doing it.

Any particular reason you don't just put it on a light trailer with brakes on it. It'd save a lot of wear on your shocks and stuff and let you have the added brakes that come with it. A year is a long time tow in less than optimal circumstances.

piney said:

Any particular reason you don't just put it on a light trailer with brakes on it. It'd save a lot of wear on your shocks and stuff and let you have the added brakes that come with it.

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Cost and Weight... For the cost of a good lightweight car trailer that can take the miles, tires and shocks on the Jetta probably won't touch it. Plus, convenience, with flat-towing I pop a few pins, unlock the doors and I'm off (we don't stay in one spot very long). And weight is an issue. The trailer adds almost 2k lbs, with my rig already pushing it's GVWR of 33k lbs, my 400 Cummins already has its hands full in places like out west where you can pull 3-5% grades for miles on end.

SANman said:

Cost and Weight... For the cost of a good lightweight car trailer that can take the miles, tires and shocks on the Jetta probably won't touch it. Plus, convenience, with flat-towing I pop a few pins, unlock the doors and I'm off (we don't stay in one spot very long). And weight is an issue. The trailer adds almost 2k lbs, with my rig already pushing it's GVWR of 33k lbs, my 400 Cummins already has its hands full in places like out west where you can pull 3-5% grades for miles on end.

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Why not a dolly then?

I have a friend who has flat towed older VWs all over the country. He always rejected the trailer/dolly route also.

A tow dolly allows the car to ride on its own suspension - so don't think that you save anything there. Also, depending on how you tie the car down to the trailer it may or may not ride on its own suspension. Using the factory tie-downs (are there any on a VW?) and compressing the suspension will force the car to ride on the trailer's suspension - if you use wheel straps the car is then riding on its own suspension.

I can't think of any reason why a manual transmission would be affected by flat towing, But I have no idea if there are any sensors that could be fouled by moving the car while it is off.

Have you poked around some of the RV sites?

PlaneJob said:

I have a friend who has flat towed older VWs all over the country. He always rejected the trailer/dolly route also.

A tow dolly allows the car to ride on its own suspension - so don't think that you save anything there. Also, depending on how you tie the car down to the trailer it may or may not ride on its own suspension. Using the factory tie-downs (are there any on a VW?) and compressing the suspension will force the car to ride on the trailer's suspension - if you use wheel straps the car is then riding on its own suspension.

I can't think of any reason why a manual transmission would be affected by flat towing, But I have no idea if there are any sensors that could be fouled by moving the car while it is off.

Have you poked around some of the RV sites?

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has this question been answered??? ANYONE dolly towing or Flat towing a late model jetta, JSW or Golf 6 speed manual??/ Anyone???